South Coast teams punch ticket to next month’s USA Water Polo National Junior Olympics

06/20/2019

The South Coast/Costa del Sur water polo club has qualified its boys 14U and 16U teams for next month’s USA Water Polo National Junior Olympics in Irvine.

Both teams will represent the Pacific Southwest Zone.

The 14U team qualified for this summer’s mega event the first weekend in June by finishing 3-3 in its six tournament games to secure the final of 10 qualifying berths in its division.

The 16U team qualified by winning its opening game in this week’s qualifying tournament to assure itself a top 10 finish.

South Coast/Costa del Sur defeated FAST (Fallbrook Area Swim Team) by a score of 10-4 in Wednesday’s tournament opener at Monte Vista High School.

It was a satisfied group that climbed out of the pool after the tourney opening win.

“We’re going to JO’s,” several exited voices chimed in simultaneously.

Costa del Sur 16U head coach Stuart Sokil said the team is a mix of varsity players primarily from Eastlake and Mar Vista high schools, with some junior varsity-level players from additional schools in the area rounding out the roster.

Sokil acknowledge one of the team’s strengths is the camaraderie readily apparent between players.

“What makes this team so successful is that the guys have been playing together for two or three years and know each other’s habits and tendencies,” Sokil said. “We also have the utility factor on our side — we have players who can play multiple positions, if needed.”

South Coast/Costa del Sur’s 14U boys team celebrates after qualifying for this summer’s USA Water Polo National Junior Olympics.

Costa del Sur joins nine other teams from the Pacific Southwest Zone to qualify in the 14U division: Del Mar A, San Diego Shores A, La Jolla A, Del Mar B, San Diego Shores B, Carlsbad, North San Diego, Poway and Sons of Odin.

A total of 19 teams entered this week’s 16U division qualifying tournament.

The Del Mar A and Moonlight clubs join Costa del Sur and FAST in the B pool.

Other teams include San Diego Shores A, Poway Valley and Sons of Odin in Pool A, La Jolla WP, Del Mar B, Carlsbad B and Pacific B in Pool C, Carlsbad A, San Diego Shores B, North San Diego Stars B and Southern in Pool D, and North San Diego Stars A, Pacific A, Riptides and Carlsbad C in Pool E.

Competition continues through Sunday, June 23, at Monte Vista, Coronado, Westview, Rancho Bernardo and La Jolla high schools as well as Southwestern College.

Next month’s national championship tournament will consist of two sessions. The first session will run July 20-23 and include boys 12U, 14U, 16U and 18U teams. The second session will run July 25-28 and include girls 10U, 12U, 14U, 16U, 18U, 10U mixed and 12U mixed teams.

For more information, visit the website at www.usawaterpolo.org.

Tournament schedule can be accessed here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12KVi0PzxaeHJSecbA0_jtTMgTHylDUVaHCR-MHA4gJA/edit#gid=0

Wet shots
Ethan Hastings logged four goals and four defensive blocks in Wednesday’s victory while Fletcher Field scored three goals, including a pair on penalty shots. Isaiaih Ceballos had two goals.

Field and Hastings have been with the program since the inaugural 10U club team was formed. Ceballas has been with the South Coast program for three years.

The program has grown from about 20 players to include the entire South Bay region and parts of East County.

Besides Mar Vista, Eastlake, Hilltop and Bonita Vista, other schools represented on the two National Junior Olympic qualifiers include Olympian, Otay Ranch, Coronado, Helix, Steele Canyon and La Jolla high schools, as well as Mar Vista and Helix Charter middle schools.

“As you can see we have a mix of schools,” program director Ernie Medina said. “Some of these kids have been playing together since they were 10 years old with South Coast Water Polo.”

Medina, who has recorded more than 35 years at the coaching level, winning a Division III girls water polo CIF championship with Hilltop, credits the support structure in the program’s coaching ranks for the program’s continued growth and success in the pool.

“We have good coaches with our program who are responsible for this program growing and working with the athletes and very involved in this community,” said Medina, who coaches the 14U boys, 18U girls and 14U girls teams.

Those coaches include Sokil (16U and 18U boys) and assistants John Anderson (former Division I NCAA player at Long Beach State), Mark Field (club and high school coach), Adam Eaton (USAWP and high school referee) and Mar Vista alumnus Bobby Rector (high school coach).

Sokil, a Hilltop alumnus, has won a Division III CIF girls coaching championship with Eastlake.

Former national team player Carlos Stinson (USA Olympic B team) coaches the 16U girls team while Mar Vista head coach Chad Kavanagh (CIF Division II championship coach) oversees the 12U boys team.

Shyla Toledo, a MVHS graduate and Mesa College player, and Issa Paul (Whittier College alumnus and player) coach the 10U coed team.

South Coast/Costa del Sur Water Polo Club
USA Water Polo National Junior Olympics Qualifiers

14U BOYS DIVISION
Starters
Dylan Hartley (will be attending MVHS)
Bradford Dickson (will be attending MV Middle)
Asher Eaton (Will be attending Helix Charter Middle)
Thomas Spaulding (will be attending MVHS)
Carlos Ibarra (will be attending MVHS)
Trevor Rector (will be attending MVHS)
Kevin Stucki (will be attending MVHS)

Reserves
Sebastian Palomera (will be attending Coronado)
Calaeb Collins (will be attending Olympian)
Nathan Crosby (will be attending MVHS)
Aidan Garces (will be attending Hilltop)
Emil Behlon (will be attending La Jolla)
Matthew Bjornstad (will be attending Eastlake)
Mason Asbell (will be attending Helix Middle)

16U BOYS DIVISION
Starters
Nic Garces (Hilltop)
Riley Anderson (Eastlake)
Fletcher Field (MVHS)
Isaiah Ceballos (Bonita Vista)
Ethan Hastings (MVHS)
Eli Stewart (Eastlake)
Raul Rico (Hilltop)

Reserves
Juan Rosales (Bonita Vista)
Caleb Hutchins (Bonita Vista)
Nate Bjornstad (Eastlake)
Antonio Marquez (Otay Ranch)
Tylor Cushman (Steele Canyon)